The Royal Mail parcel office in the town centre has not reopened because of an “unacceptable” safety risk.

Campaigner Liz Johns launched a petition calling for the hatch to reopen in time for the Christmas rush and collected 150 signatures.

The parcel collection office closed in November 2012 after a customer was clipped by a post van in the yard in Broad Street.

A collection point was set up in the Post Office next door.

Miss Johns, of Keephatch Road, called for the original collection office to the side of the Post Office to be reinstated with its previous, longer opening hours.

In a statement to Miss Johns, Royal Mail said: “In reviewing the incident, our decision was that the parcel collection hatch in its previous location constituted an unacceptable risk to our customers’ safety.

“We will therefore maintain our current provision of a parcel access hatch in the Post Office branch, which allows our customers to collect their items safely, six days a week.”

Miss Johns, who works in Newbury, added: “It is a real shame. On Friday I had to take a day off work to go and get a parcel.

“I went in at about 10.30am and there were six people in front of me and still more people were coming in.”

Miss Johns has now taken up her petition with Royal Mail chief executive Moya Greene.